Marcus Roberts and Rashad Nicholson hoped to see their murder cases tossed Friday based on legal arguments that prosecutors failed to timely disclose critical evidence that could exonerate them.

Then a judge rejected their attorneys’ arguments for dismissal — and set their trial to begin, as scheduled, on Monday.

But the case ended with a split result: Roberts admitted the killing and accepted a plea deal to first-degree manslaughter. And Nicholson, who faced 25 years to life if convicted of second-degree murder, had his case dismissed.

It followed a tumultuous day in Albany County Court in which defense attorneys and Assistant District Attorney Bruce Lennard traded arguments — some of them heated — before acting Supreme Court Justice Dan Lamont.

Roberts, 32, who risked life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of first-degree murder, now faces a determinate 10-year sentence for the Dec. 24, 2007, slaying of Michael Franklin, 56, at 53 Second St., Albany.

Roberts, known as “Killa,” who has several convictions, will do the time concurrently with a state prison sentence for drugs sales and weapon possession.

Roberts took the plea deal against the advice of his attorney, Holly Trexler, who earlier Friday told the judge the only proper resolution to the case was to dismiss it.